Why your dog doesnt listen to everyone in your household

Recently a dog owner reached out to me and asked a valid question. “My dog listens to me but not my wife. Why is that?”. I get questions like this and vice versa where it is someone else who the dog doesnt listen to. There is a reason for this and i will explain it in this article.

The answer:

Most dogs do not generalize well.

What that means is that dogs, whose behavior is not proofed for different situations and scenarios, might not do the behavior all the time.

For example, i might teach my dog to not run out of my front door.

But that doesnt mean that they understand not to run out of my neighbor’s front door or a friend’s front door.

Its pretty simple to us because we make these connections.

Dog’s do not easily make these connections.

This means that you have to show them enough times. As a general rule for me i need to make sure i do at least 100 successful repetions for each scenario.

Teach your dog not to go out your front door and have them do that successfully 100 times. Then do the same thing for your friend’s door 100 times.

You can make sure this goes toward people as well.

If your dog jumps on one person and learns how to stop, then you still have to do that with more people to generalize the behavior.

I give you the number 100 reps as something to work toward. The reality is some dogs you will have to do more and some dogs a little less.

And then we have to add distractions to proof the behavior.

I know it seems like a lot, but this is what it takes to get your dog to level where most people want.

If you want help with this we can walk you through it step by step.

Click here to schedule a call with us.

Otherwise be on the lookout for more post that will help you.

If you have questions that you want answered then send it at Fraternityk9@gmail.com

Whats going on in the mind of a reactive and aggressive dog

I witnessed a woman trying to get her dog to listen as the bulldog lunged at the smaller shitzu. "Why doesn't my dog listen? I told him no." "What do I do?This is a common question when some people have a dog with behavioral issues(i.e Lunging at people or biting anyone who gets close. I usually tell people that a dog usually displays this behavior because in the past this got them out of an uncomfortable situation. This usually happened when a person or dog invaded their space and they were uncomfortable. The dog barked or lunged and they got their space back as the person or dog moved away. Aggressive dogs are rare. My definition of aggression is a dog with intent to hurt. Most dogs as i have said, want you to get out of their space not hurt you. Protection dogs have been trained to hurt and inflict a strong bite to the target. Its the difference between a street fighter and a trained boxer. The street fighter might hurt someone , but they really want the person to back down whereas the boxer is trained to fight and thrives in that realm. Its all about intent.  I plan to work with protection dogs somewhere down the line. It is a lot of training and can put a lot of stress on a dog. That why it's about genetics. Certain dogs have "it" other don't have "it".When I get a dog thats reactive i work on his reactivity directly by correcting reactivity. How do I do this? Most dog owners wait until their dog gets riled up to try and stop the lunging or excitement. As soon as I see a dog staring too long I correct. Its not about staring its about his intent. I also notice that a lot of dog owners give a weak correction. If the dog is still pulling it isn't hard enough. Its too hard if the dog screams. We don't want that so my suggestion is somewhere in the middle and allowing the dog to get comfortable with socializing. But don't stop there. Its also important to stop other dogs from invading the dog's space. This is the root of the problem anyway and I have always been in favor of the holistic approach to life. It is very important to take it slow. I will usually put a muzzle on the dog just for safety reasons. The dog didn't get this way overnight and it will certainly take a while to get over it. Everyday is different so it might take longer or shorter depending on your dog. 

How to train a dog with a shock collar

Many people don't like the idea of a shock collar on their dog and I was one of those people before too. This was before I was educated on how to use it. I hate when trainers get an aggressive dog and they put the dog in a situation that evokes aggression and then they zap him with 1000 volts. Ok maybe it's not that high, but you get the point. Its not training and usually doesn't address the dogs underlying feeling. Sure the dog will stop the aggression. If you zapped me every time I looked at a girl, best believe every time I thought a woman was coming my way I would look towards the ground. But not willingly. All you did was make me afraid to do what I still want to do. 

The first step that I use is to condition the dog to the shock collar. 

How to find a good dog trainer: The ones who do the seemingly unnecessary

I remember wanting to improve my health and fitness. I started looking into all the "right" foods I should eat and what type of exercises I should do. I wanted to gain muscle and becoming stronger for when I returned to boxing.

I started doing pullups and squats. I improved a lot, but there were still some weaknesses that I had to get over and I was not getting the results i wanted. After trying to search for the answer myself, I decided that maybe I should talk with someone who does this for a living- a personal trainer. The trainer informed me that I had weak glutes and hamstrings and tight hips due to that.

The next thing he asked me I thought was a waste of time and had no significance, but turns out that it does. He asked me " how do you sleep at night".  I replied with between 6-9 hours. His response was " do you sleep like a baby or is it interrupted sleep". Long story short he explained what quality sleep does to your muscles and how it impacts your ability to recover. I was shocked that something seemingly unimportant when it came to gaining strength was possibly a missing piece in what was lacking.

This is the same way it is played out a lot with dog owners who I train. Most of the time they just want to get straight to the meat and potatoes. They don't realize that the little exercises like threshold exercises are really important. Everyone is in a rush to see results, but especially when you're paying someone for their expertise. You should be patient. I am a firm believer in holistically treating a dog behavioral issue. I believe the more angles you come from to handle the problem the higher the likelihood that you will change the dog's overall being. I don't just want to put a band-aid over the problem. It takes a couple hundred repetitions for the dog to fully understand what you are asking it to do. We automatically assume because the dog sit a few times when we asked that he should always do it and understands. This is not true. So what do good trainers do? 

Good dog trainers:

• Use multiple tools. I'm not saying that its bad if a trainer only uses a leash, but a good dog trainer should know about and how to use prong collars, harnesses, ecollars, slip lead, long lines, clickers, etc...

•  Have many methods. Good dog trainers get results because they have many options. Don't be fooled by all positive this or that. These terms are used as marketing. I will say that positive training should be the primary method, but not the whole story sometimes. This is the issue with PetSmart dog trainers. They are only equipped to handle some issues.

• Are honest and open about their methods.

• Are consistent

• Are problem solvers 

• Can admit when an issue is too much therefore refer client to another trainer that's better equiped to handle the situation.

How I help a fearful dog!

In this article I’m going to explain why i think these things happen and what I do to help the situation

Most people think their dog is abused or something traumatic happened to them. While it is possible and it does happen to a lot of dogs sadly, there is another reason that is very common amongst good dog owners who know for a fact their dog hasn’t been abused.

I remember a got a call one day from a women to evaluate her dog. When I got there I saw a maltese mix. The reason I was there was because the owner was confused about her dogs behavior. She had her dog since 8 weeks and nothing “traumatic” happened to her dog that she was aware of. The maltese would walk around shaking and moving frantically every time she would hear a loud truck go over the speed bump. She would also growl at people sometimes. She claimed that she never hit her or abused her and wondered why she ducked when she lifted hand. After observing the dog for a while I realized what it was. It was the dog’s genetics. I had to explain to her that genetics plays a huge role in dog behavior and she wasn’t the only one who thought this way so there was nothing to be ashamed of. Many people think “poor dog” someone abused you when thats not always the case. I need to mention that it is also your leadership with the dog but that for another conversation.

Before I go into how i go about training with these problems, I want to talk about the 2 types of genetic problems I have experienced.

1. Environmental:

   This is when it’s the environment itself that causes the dog to be shaken up or become defensive(feeling a lack of control). It could be loud noises, different textures of floors, different objects( I trained a dog that would bark at a garbage bag full of trash if it moved with the wind), etc.

2. Social:

   This is when its people or other dogs that cause the dog stress and to become defensive(feeling a lack of control).

Some dogs can have both and also varying degrees.

Now how do I handle this?

Ideally I always want to motivate a dog with rewards.

The problem happens when I have a dog that’s not motivated and won’t take food. This is definitely hard to train, but can improve the dog greatly. You have to first meet them where they are.

I’ll explain it like this, some dogs are motivated by different things like people.

If someone grew up poor and had no money and you are talking to them about these fancy trips you take and all the fancy, expensive clothes you have , they are not going to be able to relate. That is not their reality or their world. They might have a poor mindset and don’t feel that they deserve anything like that. You are not going to convince them otherwise. (I have tried and have learned to accept that everyone wants different things)

So they might be motivated by having to pay their bills on time, whereas someone else might be motivated to create a legacy. One is going toward something the other is running away from something.

But….

If you raise them up to a level that is slightly above their current level it can seem obtainable.

For example, they might be poor with $0 in their account. But if you can get them a job making $60,000 they would be happy. Now $100,000 doesn’t seem that far. Once they get to $100,00 now $200,000 doesn’t seem so far and so on.

When I first meet a dog, i meet them where they are(mentally) and I lower my expectation.

If I have a dog that is nervous in an environment, then I won’t ask them to do any behavior. Just eat food. Do you see how simple it is?

Next after I lower my expectation, I give the dog something more to worry about then the environment.

This is something I work my way up to. I teach behaviors in a sterile environment then I let a dog know that they have to do what I ask. I also have to be reasonable with what a dog can actually do.

My dog needs to have excellent obedience.

I’m talking about correction level obedience

Then when we are in these situations where they don’t care about food and are worried about the environment I can correct them for not focusing on me.

I become more important than the environment.

After their nerves calm down a bit, most of the time they will take the food from my hands and then we can switch to a more reward based training.

Also if you seen the video I posted on Instagram about Baci, I have him tied up and I am playing with another dog. This technique is commonly done in protection dog circles. You tease the dog with the toy object, frustrate them because they can’t get to it, and have them watch as me and another dog enjoy the fun. Once he started to show that he was interested in us playing, I rewarded him with the ball. I want him to shake off that nervous energy and just have fun.

Recap:

1. Genetics play a huge role in dog’s behavior.

2. There is environmental and social genetic problems in dogs

3. When I start to help a dog I lower my expectation and meet them where they are.

4. I develop a foundation of solid obedience, I correct them for non compliance, then once they start eating food and their nerves calm down, I go to more reward based training.

5. Using play to bring it out f a dog

That is it. I hope this helps guys. I’m sure there are other ways to do this but this is the way i have done it. If you have questions don’t be afraid to reach out.

“Why does my dog listen inside, but the moment we go outside, it’s as if she’s a completely different dog?!”

About 7 years ago I had the exact same problem, and literally couldn’t figure out why my dog wouldn’t listen no matter what. It seemed like inside, he got everything - he was well behaved, had a great temperament, and wasn’t too difficult to control…

The moment we stepped outside - he wouldn’t listen. Pulling on the leash. Running towards other dogs. Not coming when I called… until I almost by accident stumbled upon the solution.

I’ve spent over 5 years learning the ins and outs of canine behavior, and something I realized (from hundreds of hours spent with, studying and training dogs), is that you can’t teach the dog the behavior you want, in a chaotic environment.

You see, for your dog, being outside is extremely stimulating.

Especially for a younger dog.

There’s thousands of smells, countless little movements and sounds, and an entire world to explore and interact with - this can be overwhelming, and then your dog will react (in a way that gets you frustrated, like I was).

Try this… If you want your dog to learn to listen, behave, and be smart and great while out of the house - you need to slow things down.

Start by preventing your dog from getting access to what they want.

I’ve ran a specific exercise with over 50 clients and their dogs in the last 12 months and it’s had a near 100% success rate… and you can try it too.

Next time you’re out with your dog, do this exercise - I call it “Low Excitement Rewarding”.

Let’s say that your dog wants to go to another dog while out and gets into that “I’m going to pull on the leash and get there” - you instantly make her relax and go down. 

Hold the leash tight, stop all movement, and get her to calm down and CHILL. The moment she does this and HOLDS it - reward her with a “very good” and a great treat.

This associates that “when I’m calm and I listen, good things happen”.

Most owners try to rush through this, and it will NEVER work. You need to keep it nice and slow for your dog to actually care to follow what you want.

Go out and try this exercise the next time you walk your dog and see what happens.

If you are interested in taking your dog’s training to the next level, then book a call here

How I learned to create boundaries with my dogs (without being a terrible owner at the same time)....

Here’s what I did that worked extremely well, and what you can try with your own dog. 

Let them earn freedom.

That’s it - it’s that simple. But I’m sure it can be confusing so I’ll explain.

Most dog owners that I’ve worked with, start the process the wrong way.

They give freedom and then try to set the boundary AFTER. As an example, if you don’t want your dog to grab food quickly and eat anything around, the best way to start this isn’t to wait until the habit has already been approved as ok.

What many dog owners will do is 1) allow a bad behavior to go unchecked until 2) it becomes abrasive and no longer “cute”, because the dog is bigger or acting out more and then 3) they get frustrated and don’t enjoy the experience of owning a dog. 

(Most of my clients are stuck around step 2 or 3)

What the correct version of this path looks like is this:

1) Set a boundary very early, before any behavior is developed.

2) Reward your dog heavily for honoring that boundary.

3) Start to give more freedom to them within the boundary and reward again.

Most people who get frustrated with their dogs don’t actually have a bad dog.

It’s rare that I’ll find someone who has a “bad dog” - the dog has just learned bad habits.

The secret to having a dog that works well with you, your family, and other dogs, is setting the right habits early and then giving freedom.

The expectation is also really high for your dog. You expect too much out of them too soon. This will create frustration. 

Instead also have times where your dog can be a dog.

Don’t constrict your dog too much, or they won’t be able to play in the world and learn what it means to be confident and active.

But don’t give freedom without boundaries first, or you’ll have a dog that just acts without realizing what is helpful or unhelpful in having a safe, healthy, positive environment.

This week, work on those boundaries!

Talk soon.

Donald “Creating Boundaries” Hutcherson

How to take your dog from shy and unsure, to confident and thriving… Robert and Maggie's story.

It makes me so sad when I see a dog that is afraid of the world. The thing is, this doesn’t always happen because of past abuse or trauma, some dogs (through owner mistakes) simply haven’t been SHOWN how to be confident.

This was the case with Maggie the Bernadoodle and her owner Robert.

In my 10 years of training, I’ve come to firmly believe that all dogs should be able to experience the world fully and freely, without fear or anxiety.

This was Maggies problem. She couldn’t even go outside without wanting to run back in the house. She was in an extreme fear period - in fact, one of the worst cases I’ve seen.

She was highly unstable in her environment - cars, trucks, loud sounds, even strangers - all caused her a lot of discomfort and anxiety.

This also affected Robert. He had ended up sleeping on the couch to comfort Maggie at night because she couldn’t sleep alone for long periods in her crate without crying and breaking down for most of the night.

Robert decided things had to change, because he really wanted his dog to thrive, but these problems were starting to affect his personal life.

He contactedmeand a few days later we began working together.

There’s a few lessons here that everyone can learn from.

The first change we made (you can use these solutions as you train your own dog as well), was teaching Maggie how to be comfortable with taking food outside.

Food acted as a focus point, and as an indicator that she was growing comfortable in an outside - “higher energy” environment.

Eventually (although it wasn’t easy), she started taking food outside. Consistency was key for this.

Then I taught Robert how to reward her and literally PAY her for staying outside. This was the turning point for both of them. 

Robert learned how to communicate with her properly, and she developed a new confidence and trust in her owner's leadership.

Instead of just letting her escape and go home whenever she wanted, he associated good with outside.

The result?

In just a few short weeks Maggie could walk without pulling back to go home. She could go down main streets confidently and calmly.

Robert was so happy with the transformation Maggie had from scared, unsure, and lacking confidence, to happy, excited, and secure that he decided to get a second dog!

(Which I ended up training as well).

Taking your dog from no confidence to being confident, happier, and fearless starts with understanding her body language and setting the right boundaries.

If you want to speak your dogs language like a pro, I’ve created a guide (it’s totally free) called “The No B.S. Guide To Speaking Your Dogs Language”. It’s a simple step by step framework to help you understand exactly how to know what your dog needs and give her the support and training to help you and her be successful together.

If you’d like it, feel free to comment “guide” below, or send me a private message if you’re feeling shy today. 

Donald “Master Trainer” Hutcherson

How to get your dog used to being around kids

This is a serious matter to deal with. If you are having extreme difficulty you should seek out a professional.

Did you know that back in 90’s and early 2000’s that ACS had a lot of cases where dogs were killing kids.

I don’t say this to scare you, but this is no joke.

If you need help with training click on the link below.

Now a lot of people trust their dog enough to leave it with their kid alone and then an accident happens.

Keep in mind, babies are small and do weird things to dogs like riding them like a pony or pulling their tail.

Dogs do not usually intentionally want to hurt your kid, but something might of triggered it.

I’d invite you to look up the story of a family pit bull that killed a 5 day old infant.

This happened in Dunnellon, FL. The mother told investigators that she was in the other room when the family dog leaped up and attacked the infant. The infant died sadly.

75% of the victims of dogs attack on humans were under 1 years old.

Imagine if you were in this situation.

I don’t even want to think if this was my child.

And I don’t want you to have to either.

This story is not unique as this has happened to a lot of families.

Now I didn’t just go looking up this info.

I kinda stumbled upon this idea while I was working out at the boxing gym.

Everybody who knows me knows I can talk about dogs forever. In this case, the manager asked me a simple question about her dog being aggressive at weird times. Her dog even bit her son and this worried her.

He was upset because he thought that if he took care of the dog then why didn’t the dog love him.

I see a huge flaw in this thinking.

You must teach your dog to respect you. The loving part can come after.

How you live with your dog

This is what it all comes down to.

Many people live poorly with their dog and wonder why their dog doesn’t listen.

Hey! back up off my child!

That won’t be you though because after this article you will know what to do.

1. Structure

   This is one of the most important thing you can give your dog. A lot of anxiety in dogs comes from not knowing what to expect. If you have a different routine everyday then your dog will never learn what to expect.

   It is very important that you have a schedule for your dog.

   What time does your dog eat breakfast?

   Where does your dog supposed to go after you guys go for a walk?

   Are they allowed on your bed?

   What time do you put them in the crate?

   These are some questions you should ask to get a better idea of structure.

   Not only will it make it easier for your dog, but also easier for you.

   You probably are busy and have enough things going on in your life.

   Am I right?

   I want your mind to be eased just like your dog’s mind.

   If you are okay, I know your dog will be too.

2. Desensitizing before the baby gets here or around the kids slowly

   If you leave things to chance then there is a chance bad things can happen.

   It is important to teach your baby or child how to be around your family pet, but also teach your family pet how to behave.

   Get your dog used to strollers. Take your dog near an area where there will be a lot of babies, but not in direct contact, such as outside of a schoolyard.

   Also get your dog used to a baby whining.

   This is the most annoying noise for me, so I’m sure it will irritate your dog.

   No worries!

   Just put your dog around a lot of baby noises. You can even buy or play a recording on your computer.

   Also get your dog used to kids pulling on your dogs tail( although I do not advise your child does this).

   Someone mentioned to me that they grabbed their dogs tail, put their fingers in their dog’s mouth, and would frequently take the bowl away from their dog to densensitize him to these things.

   My response to that is that the dog will respect you , but maybe not your child.

   What happens if you kids grab your dog’s bowl away and your dog gets upset. There is nothing your child can do to defend themselves.

   Would you take this chance?

   We have to go beyond this and teach your dog something I will explain below.

   How to get your dog to respect your kids

   KIds are off limits.

   I know this is the obvious, but few people actually teach their dogs this.

   Most people pick a dog with a easy going temperament and expect them to be calm around the baby.

   I have yet to see someone who has a hyper dog think its okay to leave their dog with their child.

   This is why accidents occur.

   Become relevant to your dog and claim the space around your dog.

   This is so important and many people don’t realize this.

   Instead of claiming space they want their dog to be a walking pinata or something to keep their couch warm.

   When you claim space you are telling your dog what they can and cannot claim.

   If this sounds confusing I will give you some examples to help you.

   Ex#1: When the mailman comes to your front door and your dog barks to send the mailman away- your dog is claiming your home as their space.

   Ex#2: When your dog is on the couch and you tell them to get off, but they growl at you-you dog is claiming the couch as their space.

   Ex#3: When you and your dog are on a walk and your neighbor walks up to you, but your dog lunges at them and shows teeth- your dog is claiming you as their space.

These are just a few examples, but i know you get the point.

At the simplest level, it comes down to claiming the space of the child.

There are 3 things you want to do when you are claiming space for your child.

1. Nurture calmness

   Do not get your dog so excited.

   Also be mindful of objects that gets your dog excited.

   These could be balls, ropes, water bottle, your kids’ toys, etc.

   If they excite your dog I would put them away so they don’t get too aroused.

2. Create a bubble around your child that your dog can not enter

   You are not going to let your dog play with you baby. (maybe with your older child you would)

   Create an imaginary circle around your baby. When your dog heads over in that direction, remind them that the baby is off limits while at the same time nurturing calmness.

   How do you do this?

3. Become so relevant in your dog’s life

   You should be able to move your dog when they are in the middle of the doorway. As soon as you walk toward your dog they should back up.

   This is called respecting space.

   If you dog just stands there or challenges you, then you need to work on teaching the dog how to yield to you. Check out the picture above again and you will see how this is done.

If you have any more questions click on the link below.

How to get your dog to stop pulling on the leash easily

While exercise is important in tiring your dog out, you can still have an out of control dog.

You can also have a dog who hasn’t exercise, but sill doesn’t pull you across the yard when you first let them out the door.

Why?

Ill explain in this article. Ill explain why even when you ran 5 milles with your dog, they still pull on the leash.

Ill also explain how to teach them how to walk politely on a leash.

The walk is the most important part of your day with your dog.

You are probably at work all day and want a relaxed walk.

The only issue is that your dog has been sleeping when you get home and is now filled with so much energy.

You open your crate door and your dog zooms out.

Next, your dog runs around in circles while you struggle to put their leash on.

Then you almost fall because your dog is racing outside.

Your arm is in pain as you wrap the leash around your hand to get a better grip and hopefully more control.

But the only thing this does is cut off the circulation to your hand.

You dog is sniffing the ground and marking every patch of grass or fire hydrant they see.

Your shoulder is in pain and you just want the walk to be over.

So you start going for shorter and shorter walks until you no longer go outside.

Now I know I’m being dramatic for some people, but I have actually seen cases like this.

It doesn’t matter if your situation is similar to the above or its not as bad.
Everybody wants a dog that can walk on the leash properly.

If this is you click the button below

Some things dog owners do wrong

Now there are 4 primary ones and also many others, but lets talk about the primary ones.

1. Allowing their dog to ignore them

   This is not done on purpose. But most dog owners have not taught their dog to pay attention to them. Their dog is checking out the other dogs, the grass, the kids playing in the schoolyard. They are checking out everything and everybody except for you.

2. Using a harness

   A harness is used for pulling. In protection we use it to build drive. Its also used by sled dogs to do what………. PULL!!!!

3. Using a flat buckle collar

   Usually your dog will pull and keep pulling even when they are choking themselves. Most dog owner think these collars are safe, but they can actually lead to a dog getting choked out. Not a pleasant site.

4. Get their dog excited before the walk

   If you start squeaking toys and saying things like “ Are you ready to go outside” in an excited tone, you dog is more likely to pull. Calm it down.

   NO Talking!

   NO Eye contact!

   NO Touching!

Tools to use

Prong collar

I Know these look barbaric and torturous, but they are not. They are the safest to not choke your dog out while also being gentle in guiding your dog

How to get your dog to stop pulling on the leash

1. First thing you must do is realize that the walk starts before you leave your house.

You must become relevant in your house with your dog before you go outside.

If your dog can’t pay attention to you in the house then outside they will never listen with all of the distractions. Distractions like the leaves blowing, a bird chirping, a skateboarder is skating by, or even another dog 100 feet away can make walking unpleasant.

Become the “go to” person for all of your dog’s decisions. You must become strict on this at first. Once your dog understands the rules then you can ease up. Use calm energy. Less talking and more showing your dog where you want them to go.

“Calmness is key”

2.Next you should fit you dog with a prong collar.

If you have a big dog you will use the 3.0 millimeters. Medium sized dog you will most likely use the 2.25 millimeters.

You can also get extra links in case your dog’s neck is wider.
Now we get to doing the walk.

3.You should do what is known as a structured walk.

This walk is pure focus for your dog.

I use the 80/20 rule for this. This means that 80% of the time your dog is focused by your side, head up, and looking straight ahead.

There is no sniffing until we stop and allow the dog to go. This is that 20%.

Otherwise there is no pulling ahead.

Remember above we talked about being relevant. Well part of that is putting some rules in place. Being responsible for choices the dog makes.

4.The final thing you must do is teach your dog leash pressure.

Your dog has to know how to give in to the leash.

Most dogs pull backwards when you try to pull them forward.

This is a natural reaction for your dog called an oppositional reflex. You have to teach your dog that it is better to give in to the leash. This is how it is possible to walk your dog with just two fingers.

Try this out and let me know how you did.

Do the foundational work then tackle these 4 areas and you are well on your way.

Or you can click the link below